Bootcamp - the questions thread

[BIWI]

From experience of past Bootcamps, in the first few weeks the chat threads move really, really quickly and it's difficult sometimes to see/answer everything.

So this is a place to post any questions that you might have. Those of us who are old hands at low carbing will check this thread regularly and make sure that we answer you as soon as we can.

[miffy49]

I get my coconut cream from Sainsburys Antimatter but you hear about these Asian supermarkets and being able to buy interesting things in larger sizes at better prices. We are well blest round here for supermarkets but not much in the way of small stores.

[DiscoDancer]

Marking place to read through thread. Currently in carb flu and need some ideas and motivation!

[BIWI]

Welcome, DiscoDancer! Join the chat thread - plenty of motivation there. And make sure you read the Bootcamp recipe thread - stickied at the top of the Low Carb Bootcamp section - lots of lovely ideas there

[antimatter]

a pack I bought in Sainsbury's was 89 pence - I'll have look in Wing Yip which is just 5 min by car from me if they compete on price.

However with most products there havng no English labels I may not find them

[lowcarbforthewin]

spamm to get coconut cream, buy a tin of coconut milk. Put in the fridge for 12 hours, it separates into cream and water. Just scoop out the cream. You can drink the water, it is good for you, but I don't. No need to buy separately packaged cream.

I always keep a can in the fridge so when I run out I can grab it.

[lowcarbforthewin]

I know you posted a few days ago pudding but you say you didn't get your start weight. I would guess you'd gone up higher than you realised. And that you have lost weight, you just didn't appreciate how much weight the binging had made you put on? If your clothes are lighter, unless you are building lots of muscle, you will be losing weight.

[januarycat]

Hello,
Is tiredness normal with this WOE?? Im only 9 days in & knackered. But I am sleeping a lot better, which is lovely after months of waking in the early hours & not going back to sleep.

Also - how to cope with sugar cravings?? Do they go completely?? If so how soon??

Thank you

[BIWI]

Yes, januarycat, you are experiencing carb withdrawal - often known as carb flu.

It will pass very soon. Make sure you're drinking plenty of water and eating lots of fat. You also need lots of sodium, potassium and magnesium, which means eating salt (cook with it, add it to food) salmon, avocado, spinach and natural (full fat) yoghurt.

[miffy49]

When I first started I got some of the original blend Marigold vegetable bouillon and had a spoonful of that in a cup of hot water like a cup soup. Its very salty and tastes like old fashioned spring veg soup. A cup a day did the trick for me. Just don't pick up the salt free one!

With a bit of luck you should get an energy boost soon. Seems to need a couple of weeks for the cravings to drop off. I actually don't like sweet things very much anymore and its very liberating so stick with it!

[januarycat]

Thank you BIWI, have upped fat & water & it's working!!!!

This is what I had today, is this about right?
7g carbs
74g protein
114g fat
3L water

miffy, that sounds a good idea, will get some
tomorrow. Might sort out the sick feeling I get when I think about shovelling in more fat!

[BestIsWest]

On the coconut cream front, sometimes you get coconut milk that has solidified. There,s a purple one in the World foodssection in Tesco that is particularly good for this. Just shake the tin to see if it swishes.

[Gandt69]

Hi, can anyone help with which nuts are lowest carb? I avoid peanuts and cashews, but have a weakness for brazils. Some info i've seen says they are lower than almonds but then that almonds are the best for this woe.

[BIWI]

I think brazils are quite low - 4.7g per 100g I think. Almonds and macadamias are also good. But just remember you can end up eating a lot of carbs if you're not careful, as nuts are so moreish!

[Gandt69]

Thanks Biwi, I do try to limit them but yes very moreish!

[TooSpotty]

Just looking at all the boot camp threads with interest. I'm currently doing a paleo Whole30 but finding it hard going with the lack of dairy.

I'm sure this has been asked many times before but is this a good WOE for pre-diabetes? I'm 3.5 stone down from my starting weight (have gradually stopped eating lots of carbs and sugar) but still have 2 stone to go to be nicely within a normal BMI. I don't think paleo is long term for me but I don't eat fruit so I'm slightly concerned at limiting vegetables (although I don't eat squash/sweet potato much).

[BIWI]

Yes it is, TooSpotty!

You don't need to limit your veg, you just need to make sure you're eating lower carb veg, which means no potatoes/sweet potatoes or sweetcorn and cutting down on things like carrots and beetroot.

If you look at one of the weekly bootcamp chat threads and find the link to the spreadsheet (on the OP of each one), you'll see a list of veg carb counts on one of the tabs at the bottom

[TooSpotty]

Thanks, BiWi. I did have a look at the veg list but got a bit confused (not the brightest star in the sky) as the 'allowed' list seems to have potato and high carb veg. I was also a bit worried as cabbage was 6g per 100g and we eat a LOT of green leafy veg, which I would miss very much.

[NAR4]

I'm only on day 3 and woke up this morning feeling really weak and like I was going to throw up. The feeling hasn't gone. Is this a side effect from the diet and can I do anything to help?

[BIWI]

It's carb flu, NAR4 - it will pass soon. In the meantime:

• make sure you're drinking plenty of water and eating plenty of fat
  
• you need to keep your electrolytes up (sodium, magnesium and potassium), so make sure you're cooking with salt/adding salt to food - or drink hot water with an Oxo cube dissolved into it, or some Marmite/Bovril. Salmon, avocado, spinach and natural full fat yoghurt are all good too.

[BIWI]

Toospotty - I think the list you must have been looking at was the list of carb counts for all veg. Focus on eating those that are 3-4g carbs per 100g as much as you can. Cabbage isn't too bad, just balance it with lower carb veg. But avoid potato!

[NAR4]

Doing the things you suggest. Do you think it will pass by Monday? I have 5 children (1 who has lots of night feeds) and work evenings. I can't manage everything like this, so may have to abandon diet, if not.

[BIWI]

It should pass quickly - honestly! And you're through the worst part of it, so don't stop now.

[NAR4]

Thank you, I will keep going until Monday and see if I improve. At the moment I can barely drag myself off the sofa to go to the toilet. Also have found the number of toilet trips needed have kept me almost housebound. Hope that improves soon too.

Hats off to all you ladies, I didn't realise I would feel so dreadful at the beginning.

[NAR4]

Just want to say (for the sake of anyone else who feels close to giving up). I feel much better now, so the carb sickness only lasted a day.

Thankyou BIWI for being there.

[Smiley face]

[BIWI]

That's good to hear!